The first European government to support ESI was Sweden and the head of its Balkan Department, Bjoern Lyrvall.

In March 2000 the Swedish Foreign Ministry and ESI organised a high-level policy seminar at Johannesberg Castle near Stockholm to reflect on ways forward for Bosnia. Gerald presented ESI's ideas. The seminar was attended by High Representative Wolfgang Petritsch and former High Representative Carl Bildt.

President Clinton's envoy, US Ambassador Richard Sklar, would soon refer to "Stockholm conclusions": an emerging policy consensus in favour of strengthening central state institutions. Following the Stockholm seminar, ESI cooperated closely with OHR in preparing for the Brussels Peace Implementation Council (PIC) meeting held in May 2000.